The Catch
by Turtle Kid the Woolgatherer
Summary: You know how Ranma is the one who always catches Akane? Yeah . . . I think it's overused. So, I did this. OneShot


Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½. At least . . . I don't think I do. I'm not Rumiko Takahashi, am I? 

$ changing scenes 

$$$ at the end or beginning of my ranting 

$$$ 

Ranma walked on the fence in a random direction, not really caring. His arms were behind his head in an offhand manner, fingers looped together. The black pants and red shirt he was wearing were slightly scuffed and frayed in places, and a much newer backpack on his back weighed heavy with books. 

His thoughts were elsewhere as someone came up behind him jumping from roof to roof. A certain small person who had a happy look on his face, a cloth in the shape of a bag slung over his back full of mysterious things, and a pail of cold water in his hands. 

"Hello, Ranma!" Happosai yelled, tossing the bucket over. 

"Huh?" Ranma turned around. **_"YOW!"_** H-she pulled the bucket off her head. _"What you do **that** for you_ . . . old. . . ." The girl paused to glance around, not wanting anyone to think she was crazy by talking to herself. 

_Nope, not over there. _She glance up, then down. _Nu-uh. _She twisted her body into something like a pirouette, before frowning. "Where is the old perv?" Ranma shrugged it off before continuing on her way (as the author realizes, finally, that that direction is his home, and not random at all). 

He wrung out his clothes in her somewhat smaller hands with a scowl. _Just great. Just great. Just great. Well, at least the books aren't wet. _There was a sigh of relief directed at no one that was lost in the silence of twilight. He shrugged it off before walking on. 

All of a sudden he stiffened, glaring down his chest at a totally oblivious Happosai, who was rubbing his head against Ranma's bosom. 

"Ah, sweet Ranma, who refuses to wear a bra." 

Ranma punched the old man sky high with a cry of _"He-yah!" _Then he ran, knowing that Happosai would come chasing him now. 

And sure enough, "Ranma!" cried the lech with a certain joy . . . and anger. "If you let me cry into your chest I will not seek vengeance," he cried as people in the streets turned to watch this strange display. 

"No!" Ranma yelled back, turning his head. 

**_WHAM_**

Ranma fell over, swirly eyed from his brief encounter with the pole. 

"I got you now, Ranma!" cried the old man, jumping towards her. Ranma stuck up his foot, catching him in the face. 

"Now that that's settled," she muttered, getting up with shaky legs. She set off in the direction of home once again. 

She was lifted off her feet in a sudden motion and was flying in the air after a moment more. The yells of surprise echoed around the city for a while before fading. 

"Now that that's settled," Happosai said mockingly. He turned on his heel, twirling the pipe on his hand around and around to catch the light. People looked away from the dangerous old man, pretending to buy stuff till the girls started screaming in anger. 

$ 

Akane sighed impatiently, wondering where Ranma was. He was supposed to be home ten minutes ago with books from the library for research on kimodo dragons, a huge lizard found in Africa. 

_I'm not getting an F because of him _she thought, throwing her hands down on the table. "Where is he, dammit!" Akane was happy her sister, Kasumi, wasn't here, because then she would most certainly be reprimanded. 

At the end of the last word the roof caved in with a crash as a certain red-haired girl came down with an unavoidable amount of speed towards the ground. 

She turned her hands up and lifted her arms. Ranma landed in her arms with a thump, his weight throwing off Akane's balance, but luckily not too much. She caught him (still in girl form) staring at her wonderingly. 

"Nice catch for such a clumsy girl." 

Her eye twitched, but she tried to ignore it. After all, being partners he could easily sabotage their work. "Thank you," she said, voice strained. 

"This is flip-flop, though." Then he glanced down to her chin. "Weird." 

She wondered what he was looking at, but shrugged it off. "I know this is unusual, but not weird." She moved to set him down. 

"Not that." he shook his head. "You have a zit on your chin." 

Akane dropped him, then punched while he was still in the air. Ranma flew over to the wall and through the paper doors. She stormed away angrily. _Stupid Ranma! The idiot! Uncaring jerk!_

She stopped stomping once in the hallway, then sighed, almost wistfully. _But then, that's my Ranma for you_, of course not noticing where her thoughts were taking her. 

Then she had to go back to get the books. . . . 

$$$ 

Okay. I plan this to be a one shot. I really did try to keep everyone in character, but there may be a section, or two, or three when it's just to uncharacteristic that it wont work. 

Be kind. 


End file.
